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One Year after Coal Street Flash Flood

PLYMOUTH BOROUGH — One year ago a heavy thunderstorm sent water rushing down into parts of Plymouth Township and Plymouth Borough in Luzerne County. The f...

PLYMOUTH BOROUGH -- One year ago a heavy thunderstorm sent water rushing down into parts of Plymouth Township and Plymouth Borough in Luzerne County.

The flash flood caught many people on Coal Street by surprise.

The flash flood from Coal Creek left Coal Street destroyed, and people scrambled to salvage whatever they could from their homes.

"It was rough, man, it was a sight to see. Walls falling in, the water was going everywhere, you know? It was quite destructive," said Eric Makos.

The flood swallowed up part of his yard.

"We`re not too much further it`s still a mess. There`s still a lot of work to be done and it`s not happening fast enough," added Makos.

Quite a bit of work has been done. A dirt road now connects two homes that were cut off after the flood.  A temporary bridge on Coal Street connects Plymouth Borough and Plymouth Township.

Charlie Glowznski showed us how high the raging flood came up on his front door. Now he says he worries every time it rains hard.

"You just wait for a boulder to come down the street and into your house and your back yard. It`s nerve wracking. It never used to be. But it is now," said Glowznski.

Most people returned to their homes after the flood, except for two families whose homes were condemned.

"They stick to it. They`re fighters. We`ll repair this and when it`s all done it will be nice," said Joe Mazur, an administrator for Plymouth Borough.

Mazur says the repairs will continue, funded by state and federal grant money.  They include cleaning out the creek bed, installing a 10 foot retaining wall by the temporary bridge, and finalizing plans for a permanent bridge on Coal Street.

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